Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

“Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a term that often gets associated with ‘complexity and ‘failure. Yet, taking care of customers is too critical to be complicated, and too important to fail. Paul Greenbergs CRM at the Speed of Light not only cuts through industry techno-jargon, but provides the proper perspective on CRM. Its not about software--its about bigger issues surrounding your customers and your business.”--Chris Selland, Vice President, Sell-Side Practice, Aberdeen Group; President, CRM Association

“The days of tactical CRM are over. Companies are realizing that their Customer Relationship Management solutions need to be strategic. CRM at the Speed of Light shows how executives are realizing value from increasingly sophisticated CRM solutions that are part of an integrated suite of applications, embedded best practices, and enhanced usability. Anyone who is considering a CRM purchase needs to read this book.” --George Ahn, Group Vice President and General Manager, CRM, PeopleSoft

“Paul Greenbergs latest book features clear thinking about what CRM is--and isn't --and how to make it work as a business strategy to create a profitable exchange of customer value. Most important, he brings a ‘right brained approach to CRM which put people front and center, where they should be. Highly recommended.” --Bob Thompson, CEO, CustomerThink Corporation, and Founder, CRMGuru.com

“CRM is essential to businesses today. As big as front offices are and as international as baseball is, if you dont have a customer strategy, youre on the losing end. CRM at the Speed of Light, Third Edition is batting 1,000--3 for 3. Im not surprised. Paul is part of a winning tradition--hes a Yankees fan!” --Mike Pagliarulo, President, iScout; Former 3rd Baseman, New York Yankees (1984-89)

The economy is recovering and the business map is changing dramatically. No longer are your customers so willing to remain your customers unless you provide them with actual value and get to know them personally, or at least know what they want. There are competitive businesses out there that can reach your customers via the Internet, e-mail, phone, fax, or letter. And you can reach your customers in the same ways.

But that costs a lot of money to do and, even if you are beginning to see a little light in the tunnel with your revenue stream, you are probably still cautious about spending. How can you utilize those precious dollars or yuan or euros to improve the singular relationship you have with a customer you might not know personally? Which of those communications media are more effective for which customers? What should you be saying to them, finding out from them, and doing for them to provide them with the value that keeps them coming back--or intrigues them so that they join you for the first time?

International thought leader and CRM guru Paul Greenberg explains how every business--no matter what the industry--can create a true customer-focused environment. He describes how CRM strategy has evolved in recent years--from being data-driven to being process-driven. Instead of just creating a 360-degree view of customer data, businesses should strive to answer questions like: What kind of business workflow do we need to make sure that customer problems are resolved? With what regulations do we have to comply? What do we do to sell a new product to a customer and how do we handle the order? It is a complex interlinked supply, support, and demand chain that involves not just the products and services offered by the company, but also the suppliers, vendors, partners, and employees. CRM has grown up and customer strategies are no longer just a matter of a business edge, but of both success and survival.

The most important question that Greenberg answers is: How do you get the insights into your customers that provide you with the value to delight them and make them want to remain committed to you?

Greenberg emphasizes that transforming business culture is perhaps the most vital step in ensuring that a CRM initiative succeeds, and he outlines the necessary steps in the change management process. He describes the major players in each sector of the CRM world along with their current technology offerings. Youll also discover tips for evaluating Web architecture and enterprise applications as well as get valuable advice on setting up a detailed cost-effective service level agreement.

While filled with revealing case studies, technology recommendations, and insights into growing trends, this new edition is marked by Greenbergs well-known bluntness and humor, making what can be a really dry subject actually quite interesting. This updated edition of the thought-provoking best-seller will help make your vision of CRM work for you.

ABOUT THE Author - Paul Greenberg is the President of the 56 Group, LLC, and the author of the previous two best-selling editions of CRM at the Speed of Light, which have been translated into eight languages. The book has been named the number one CRM book by SearchCRM and has been called one of “The 12 Most Important Books an Asian CEO Will Ever Read” by the Asian-Pacific edition of CIO Magazine. Paul has extensive experience in the creation of ERP and CRM business units/practices. He writes a number of national columns including his “Straight Talk on Siebel ”column for Search CRM. Paul speaks and writes on CRM around the world and has made multiple appearances on television and radio. Paul was recently named co-chairman of the Rutgers University CRM Research Center and is a member of the Board of Advisors for Baylor Universitys MBA CRM specialty program. He lives in Manassas, Virginia with his wife and two cats.

Synopsis

Updated to reflect the major changes in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in the last few years, this third edition of CRM at the Speed of Light: Capturing and Keeping Customers in Real Time is a must-read for executives looking to leverage the latest technologies on the market to reach and retain customers. Learn CRM concepts, discover what tools are available and which ones are suitable for your business, and get practical, expert advice on avoiding common pitfalls.

Synopsis

"Throughout my travels and conversations with customers and partners around the world, I have been thoroughly impressed with how many of them have read and been influenced by Paul's first book CRM at the Speed of Light. Wait until they get their hands on this well-crafted follow up. Paul's 2nd book on the hot topic of CRM should become the standard for straight talk on what can be a complex subject. This guy really gets it and his readers will too!"--Bruce Culbert, Senior Vice President, and CRM Global Practice Leader, KPMG Consulting

"What Paul Greenberg does here in CRM at the Speed of Light is to help companies know where to turn for help as they decide what to do. He doesn't pull any punches (he even made us wince a few times), but his goal is not to flatter. It's to provide a handbook of what to do to build the necessary capabilities, and how to choose the partners that will lead to successful customer-based ROI."--Don Peppers & Martha Rogers, Peppers & Rogers Group

"CRM is becoming an enterprise strategy--an integrated and integral part of every successful company. CRM at the Speed of Light shows you how. Paul Greenberg gives great insight to the changing landscape and success factors that executives need to know."--Craig Conway, President and CEO, PeopleSoft Inc.

"Every business has a mandate to get, keep, and grow profitable customers. CRM technology has expanded quite a bit over the last year, and it is constantly evolving in search of better, smarter approaches to create ongoing dialogs with customers. In his eagerly awaited 2nd edition, Paul sheds light on this new era of CRM with his trademarked wit and candid honesty. Fortified with Paul's insightful commentary readers, will come away with a comprehensive view of the CRM market."--Roger Siboni, President and CEO of E.piphany

CRM--Customer Relationship Management--has entered the mainstream. Despite the uncertainty of the economy, CRM is being thrust into corporate budgets and talked about as a critical initiative by hundreds of Fortune 1,000 and tens of thousands of other companies. It has gone from being an important "edge" in the business world to a necessary tool for survival. The notion of the customer as king or queen is once again the rule. How you treat this is a mission-critical business issue.

But, what is CRM and how does it change the way companies do business? The changes in the world have been so dynamic and so dramatic that the path isn't necessarily all that obvious. How CRM impacts that business path is a continuing source of debate in the world of corporate management. The second edition of the best-selling CRM at the Speed of Light answers that question.

This vastly expanded edition has been updated to reflect the maturation of the CRM market. This insightful book reveals winning strategies and cultural changes necessary for leveraging the latest technologies to acquire and retain customers, despite the fierce competition. The biggest challenge in working with CRM is not that it is a strategy that relies on a technology, but that the landscape is complex and mined with pitfalls. International thought leader and CRM expert Paul Greenberg explains the terrain and shows you how to use it to your business advantage. CRM technologies and how to implement them are explored in detail for both new and experienced users. He examines the growing trends in market automation­­verticalization and personalization­­and describes the major players in each sector of the CRM world along with their current technology offerings. In addition, recommended strategies based on broad corporate profiles are detailed. Discover why CIO Magazine and the Asian business market considers CRM at the Speed of Light to be one of the twelve most important books on business a CEO will ever read.

Synopsis

Updated to reflect the major changes in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in the last few years, this third edition of CRM at the Speed of Light: Capturing and Keeping Customers in Real Time is a must-read for executives looking to leverage the latest technologies on the market to reach and retain customers. Learn CRM concepts, discover what tools are available and which ones are suitable for your business, and get practical, expert advice on avoiding common pitfalls.

About the Author

Paul Greenberg (Manassas, VA) has many years of experience in ERP and CRM. He has built several SAP and PeopleSoft practices, and is on the boards of experts and advisors at DestinationCRM, SearchCRM, and CRMGuru.